The value of an evaluation

June 22, 2010 - PRLog -- Imagine the scenario; you are in the middle of a divorce…. you’re frazzled, tired, upset and downbeat. In the settlement you agree to give your partner that old stack of books that stands like a dusty monument in the spare room, after all why would you want them?

Some weeks later you find out that each of those ratty novels was a rare first addition worth £5,000… it’s an unlikely situation but not an impossible one and it highlights the need for adequate appraisals in the divorce process. While it is typical for divorcing couples to put effort and energy into appraising the value of their home, it is much rarer for its contents to be as effectively scrutinised against the market. The only way that a settlement can be truly representative of a divorcing couple’s assets, and be divided in which ever manner they choose, is if their material goods have had a clear valuation. The value of old antiques and other possessions can be surprisingly high and, if this proves true for you, that will invariably affect the way you go about the divorce proceedings.

It may seem like an additional costs at a time when you really don’t need one, the price of evaluation can range hugely but often communities host ‘appraisal days’ which are cheaper, but it could well save you a lot of money in the long run.

Many divorce solicitors will be able to ‘point you in the right direction’ in terms of finding a qualified appraiser, and it means that you will be able to embark on the ragged road of divorce as an informed and empowered party. Going into a settlement with no idea of the value of your shared accumulated material goods is like fighting blind; dangerous and, eventually, painful. Divorces are inherently expensive, with some people arguing over settlements for months, but knowing exactly what everything’s market value is can cut down on time arguing over settlement agreements considerably. This applies most obviously to big, expensive items which you have acquired throughout the course of the marriage; but it may also be a good idea to take along any antiques or things which may be of historic significance - as these may well be the most surprisingly valuable. Appraisals are just one step in protecting your personal assets, but it is a simple and often overlooked one.

You cannot put a price on the love and laughter and lessons learnt in a marriage, or on the things you found out about yourself in its decline, or on the new person you will become after the divorce storm has died down and you have rebuilt your life from the wreckage. You can’t appraise years of memories or the heart-ache of having to say good-bye; but you can learn the value of each of your possessions, and after all that is all they are, and use that information to help make the settlement process a swift, precise and fair one.

Visit : http://www.thelawpracticeltd.co.uk

# # #

Specialist divorce solicitors, providing the best divorce advice in UK. UK's divorce solicitor deals in all types of divorce including DIY divorces, gay divorces & separation.